Also in the news / Gloup remembrance service, children’s rights, new island games chair, impact of teachers’ strikes and more …
CHURCHES from across the denominations will hold a joint remembrance service at the Gloup fishing disaster memorial in Yell this Sunday at 5.30pm.
Fifty eight Haaf fishermen were killed by an unexpected summer storm in the early hours of 21 July 1881.
Thirty six of the men were from Gloup, others from North Mainland, Unst and Scalloway. Ten boats were lost, mostly traditional sixareens. Only seven bodies were ever recovered, and the tragedy left 34 widows and 85 orphans.
In 1981, a hundred years after the event, a memorial was erected to commemorate the victims, depicting one of the many islanders who had gathered on the shore the next morning, scanning the sea in hope.
Parish development worker for the Church of Scotland Michele Simms said: “We are joining together as churches across the denominations in Yell to remember those lives lost. There will be an opportunity to donate to the Fishermen’s Mission.
“All are welcome but parking is limited. A bus leaves from Jamieson’s Garage in Cullivoe and seats must be booked with them on 01957 744214.”
SCOTLAND has become the first nation of the UK to incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into domestic law.
The convention grants everyone under the age of 18 a comprehensive set of rights – to health, education, family life, play and recreation, and protection from abuse and harm – and sets a legal requirement for public authorities to comply with them.
This landmark legislation also means that the views of children and young people must be taken into consideration in decisions which affect them.
Bertie Summers, one of two members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs) for Shetland, said: “Both Joe (Smith) and I are very pleased to see that the rights of children and young people will be taken more seriously.
“We feel that that young people will now be more able to express their views and concerns on matters affecting them.”
Council leader Emma Macdonald added: “The UNCRC now places a legal responsibility on us as a local authority to put children’s rights right at the very heart of our decision-making, and we welcome the incorporation of the convention.”
ANDREW Inkster has been confirmed as the International Island Games Association’s new chairperson during the organisation’s AGM in Orkney last week.
The meeting held at next year’s location of the games also confirmed that the 2027 games will be hosted by Faroe.
The 2029 games will go to the Isle of Man which had organised the very first such games back in 1995. Gotland, the host of the Island Games in 1999 and 2017, was confirmed as the preferred bidder for the 2031 island games.
Inkster said: “We are delighted to see these future host island arrangements confirmed, and we look forward to seeing more progress in their arrangements.
“With a number of other member islands also showing serious interest in becoming a host, we are confident that our games are secure for the future.”
LIB DEMS education spokesperson Willie Rennie has urged the Scottish Government to repair relations with councils and unions after he revealed that more than 210,000 staff days have been lost across Scotland to strikes in just 18 months.
Responses to freedom of information (FOI) requests show that at least 170,049 school and council staff days were lost in 2022/23 due to strikes, while a further 46,197 were lost between April and October 2023.
“No teacher wants to go out on strike. They are passionate about teaching and want to be in school, shaping young minds. However, they can only be pushed so far,” Rennie said.
“The education secretary needs to rebuild relations with trade unions and local authorities. That starts with a fair settlement for local government in this year’s budget.
“Education is half of what local authorities do but years of Scottish Government cuts have left them unable to plan for the future.”
FISHING vessel owners and skippers are encouraged to join the annual Seafish survey of the UK fishing fleet and share details on how their business has fared in the last 12 months.
Fleet survey researchers will be visiting ports and harbours across Scotland this summer, and will be in Shetland from 19 to 23 August.
The interviews take no longer than 15 minutes to complete and all responses are treated as strictly confidential, with no figures from any individual vessel revealed elsewhere.
Economics project manager at Seafish Juan Carlos Paredes Esclapez, said: “We encourage as many fishing businesses and vessel owners as possible to get involved in this year’s survey.
“The data collected is crucial for guiding policymakers, industry stakeholders, and businesses, ensuring the sector is prepared to tackle future challenges effectively”.
This year researchers will be handing out a free First Aid at Sea Guide for every skipper or vessel owner that participates.
SCOTTISH and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is now welcoming applications to its new ‘Powering Communities to Net Zero’ fund.
The new fund is a successor to the previous ‘Resilient Communities Fund’, which has awarded over £5m to around 700 projects in the past nine years.
This fund will support communities during prolonged power interruptions caused by storms, aid their ability to cope in periods of severe weather, and will now also support the adoption of new low-carbon technologies by non-profit organisations.
Managing Director Chris Burchell said: “The Resilient Communities Fund has been helping hundreds of communities and vulnerable community members since it started in 2015, and we’re looking forward to the new fund building on that legacy. Applications are now open for the 2024/25 fund.
The application form and more details can be found at www.ssen.co.uk/pcnz
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